REHABILITATION CENTRES LACKING

Nairobi

Lack of rehabilitation centres for drug addicts is hampering the fight
against drug abuse in the country.

The problem has given rise to high levels of addiction among youths who
would have otherwise been rehabilitated to stop taking the drugs.

National Campaign Against Drug Abuse acting director Roselyn Onyuka,
further put the blame squarely on the Ministry of Health for failing to
establish the centres. She said the ministry was mandated to establish the
centres way back in 1994 to rehabilitate drug dependent persons.

However, she said, 10 years down the line no single rehabilitation centre
is in existence. "Why is the ministry dragging its feet over this grave
matter which is threatening to turn our youths into zombies?" she posed.

Onyuka was addressing members of the Kenya Pharmaceutical Association
during a meeting in Kisumu.